Reflections on a Youth Long-Past

[der meister 3,246]

We all have biases in life, whether political, spiritual, subconscious, or any number of variations. I have my own biases as well, and I recognize that. Having said that, in my biased opinion, I believe that Toronto Legion defenseman Ryuji Sakamoto is finally primed for a true breakout season. He increased his point total from his rookie to sophomore years from 31 to 44, but now he's starting to look like a superstar off the ice. This lengthy offseason will prove to be an absolute boon to the Japanese defender – again, in my personal opinion – as his skills continue to improve week over week.

 

While his speed is slightly less noticeable than it was in his early days in the VHLM, almost certainly due to increased muscle mass, his defensive positioning and ability to read the game, along with his puck handling skills both offensively and defensively. are on another level. I won't say he's the best defenseman in the VHL, not by a long shot, but I think this is the year he finally, truly arrives on the scene. If I had to make a prediction, I'd say that he reaches a double-digit goal total and increases his assist total, to end with 13 goals, 51 assists, for 64 points.

 

I write this, and I think back to the look on his face when he and several of his friends from Japan went to the beach a few days ago. I stayed in the shade – I'm prone to sunburns – but at the beach, Sakamoto let himself be a kid again, splashing in the water with Ann Takamaki, ogling the young woman – and several others – whenever inspiration grabbed him. Sakamoto's slender artist friend, Yosuke Kitagawa, spent much of his time similarly in the shade, sketching in a notebook. An extremely petite redhaired girl named Futaba Sakura, who is the adopted daughter of Leblanc Café's owner, Sojiro Sakura, appeared to be teasing Sakamoto with great frequency. I have never been a person to enjoy the beach, and these young people are far from being in my age group, but in this instance I felt like I was part of their circle, though as a documentarian and observer. Through it all, Sakamoto's confidence shone through. It's impossible to judge things like edge-work by seeing a person run barefoot through the sand, but there's a balance, a grace even, to his movements, that speaks to newfound confidence. Or perhaps he's simply trying to impress Ms. Takamaki. I certainly wouldn't blame him for that.

 

After a full day at the beach, the crew reconvenes and prepares to leave. I find myself oddly introspective, thinking back to my own youth, wishing I had a circle of friends as close and supportive as Sakamoto appears to have. Nowadays, I spend my entire life chronicling the lives of young hockey players. It's a glamorous life, in some ways, jetsetting around the globe, but at the same time, there's nothing of 'me' in it. I don't have that circle of friends to rely upon, have no family waiting for me to come home. I truly love my job, but seeing the smiles on the faces of these fine young people, I can't help but wonder if I would choose to walk this path again, if I had the chance to do it all over.